Hardwood Flooring Care & Warranty Guide

Table of Contents

PROTECT YOUR FLOORING INVESTMENT

Whether you want hardwood, luxury vinyl, laminate or tile, regular care is an essential part of maintaining your floor’s beauty and enhancing its life and performance. By following warranty requirements for proper cleaning, it can be easier than you think!

Hardwood… The right choice for you…

Why choose Hardwood?

Wood flooring is among the best investment you can make in your home. In addition to being beautiful, wood floors are appropriate for all styles – casual, formal, classic, and country.

Where are the best spaces to install Hardwood?

Solid hardwood can be installed on or above grade, whereas engineered hardwood can be installed on all grades. However, neither is recommended for bathrooms or rooms with excessive moisture.

Our Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® Signature Brands

Hardwood Care and Maintenance

Like any floor covering, real wood floors will show signs of wear over time, depending on the size and lifestyle of your family. But by observing a few precautions, and using the cleaning and maintenance program recommended by the manufacturer, you can expect years of beauty from your wood floor.

Never clean or mop your hardwood floor with water or steam. Do not use any wax or cleaner that must be mixed with water such as oil, soap, or paste wax products; or other household cleaners that contain lemon oil, tung oil, or ammonia as this may damage your floor and result in a loss of warranty. Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® recommends Resista® Hardwood Floor Cleaner for the routine maintenance of your hardwood floor. Follow the cleaner’s recommendations provided on the cleaning container.

Water can dull the finish and permanently damage the floor. To help eliminate fine particles of dirt and grit that act like sandpaper and will scratch any floor, vacuum or sweep daily. The vacuum head must be a felt or brush type. Be certain that the wheels of the vacuum are clean and do not damage the finish. DO NOT USE A VACUUM WITH A BEATER BAR HEAD UNLESS THE BEATER BAR IS SWITCHED OFF.

Remove spills promptly using a soft cloth and Resista® Hardwood Floor Cleaner or other cleaning products recommended by the manufacturer. Be sure to keep pet nails trimmed and paws clean and free of dirt, gravel, grease, oil, and stains. Place protective pads beneath furniture legs to reduce scratches and dents. Use a dolly and protective sheets of plywood when moving heavy objects, furniture, or appliances. Some objects may be too heavy to move across a hardwood floor under any circumstances.

A humidifier is recommended to prevent excessive shrinkage of wood floors due to low humidity levels. Wood stoves and electric heat tend to cause very dry conditions. In damp conditions, proper humidity levels can be maintained with an air conditioner or dehumidifier, or by periodically turning on your heating system during periods of high humidity in the summer months. Relative humidity in the area of use must be kept within a normal range. Wood flooring will perform best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a relative humidity range of 30-50 percent and a temperature range of 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit. (In some climates, the ideal humidity range might be higher or lower 25-45 percent or 45-65 percent, for example).* Use of a hygrometer (humidity guage) is highly recommended.

Exposure to the sun and its UV rays accelerates the oxidation and aging of wood and fabrics. This causes the stain and/or wood to fade and/or change color. It is recommended that you rearrange rugs and furniture periodically so the floor ages evenly.

Remove shoes with spiked or damaged heels before walking on the floor. Spike or stiletto high-heel shoes may cause denting and related damage to hardwood floors due to the extremely high compressive force they generate. Such footwear can produce dynamic loads in excess of 1,000 pounds per square inch, even when worn by someone of slight or average build.

As added protection, use dirt-trapping walk-off mats at all exterior doors to keep sand, dirt, grit, grease, and oil off your hardwood floor.

(See General Terms and Conditions for Hardwood Warranties on pages 19-20 for other conditions that apply.)

*Compliments of the National Wood Flooring Association. Copyright 2007. Revised April 2008.

The Five-Star Selection System is an independent rating system designed to guide you in choosing the right floor for your needs. One to five stars indicate levels of performance and durability to ensure your satisfaction. Look for the Star Rating on all product labels.

STAR RATING

WEAR WARRANTY

50 Years

30 Years

25 Years

20 Years

15 Years

FINISH

50 Years

30 Years

25 Years

20 Years

15 Years

MANUFACTURING

50 Years

30 Years

25 Years

20 Years

15 Years

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

50 Years

30 Years

30 Years

30 Years

30 Years

INSTALLATION

Life Of Floor

Life Of Floor

Life Of Floor

Life Of Floor

Life Of Floor

REPLACEMENT WARRANTY

90 Day Confidence Plus™ Warranty

60 Day Confidence Plus™ Warranty

30 Day Confidence Warranty

30 Day Confidence Warranty

30 Day Confidence Warranty

Confidence Warranty

All of our Star Rated floors carry a 30-Day Confidence Warranty. If at any time during the first 30 days after your flooring is installed you wish to change your new hardwood for a different style or color, your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer will replace it with a different Star Rated style or color of equal or lesser value. Should you wish to replace your flooring with a Star Rated hardwood upgrade, you may do so by paying the difference in retail price. No monetary compensation will be paid if a lower priced product is selected.

This is a one-time only replacement. Simply call your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer within 30 days of installation and indicate you wish to choose another Star Rated floor using the Confidence Warranty, and provide your sales receipt. This is a replacement warranty and does not apply to matters covered by other warranties. Any replacement product cannot be the same style and color as the original purchase.

Replacement includes materials only and does not include reinstallation charges. Labor costs to remove and reinstall flooring, move furniture, permanent constructions (built-ins such as cabinets and bookcases), equipment, or electronics are the responsibility of the customer.

No replacements will be made with respect to hardwood that has been subject to abuse, improper maintenance, vandalism, alteration; or damage caused by smoke, fire, flood, wind, lightning, or any other casualty event.

NOTE:Custom installations of any hardwood floor installed with patterns, medallions, or a border are excluded from the Confidence Warranty. No replacement of either the wood floor, patterned wood floor, medallions, or border are covered under this replacement warranty.

(See General Terms and Conditions for Hardwood Warranties on pages 19-20 for other conditions that apply.)

Confidence Plus™ Warranty

All Five-Star and Four-Star flooring carries a Confidence Plus™ Warranty. If, within the time frame of this warranty (90 days after installation for Five-Star floors; 60 days after installation for Four-Star floors) and after 30 days of living on your new floor, you wish to change your floor for any reason, your retailer will replace it with another style or color of flooring of equal value. Should you wish to replace the hardwood floor with a flooring upgrade, you may do so by paying the difference in price. No monetary compensation will be paid if a lower priced hardwood floor is selected.

This is a one-time only replacement. Simply call your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer within the time frame of the warranty and indicate you wish to choose another Star Rated hardwood under the Confidence Plus™ Warranty. This is a style and color replacement warranty and does not apply to matters covered by other warranties.

Replacement includes material and labor. Labor to move furniture, permanent construction (built-ins such as cabinets and bookcases), equipment, or electronics is the responsibility of the customer. Any replacement product cannot be the same style and color as the original purchase.

No replacement will be made with respect to hardwood that has been subjected to abuse, improper maintenance, vandalism, alteration; or damage caused by smoke, fire, flood, wind, lightning, or any other casualty event. This warranty applies only to the original purchaser of a Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® style hardwood floor that has been professionally installed by a Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer or Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® authorized independent installer.

NOTE: Custom installations of any hardwood floor installed with patterns, medallions, or a border are excluded from the Confidence Plus™ Warranty. No replacement of either the wood floor, patterned wood floor, medallions, or border are covered under this replacement warranty.

(See General Terms and Conditions for Hardwood Warranties on pages 19-20 for other conditions that apply.)

Price Protection Guarantee

Our buying power allows us to buy big and pass volume-purchase savings directly on to you. We feel confident that our prices are the most competitive in the market and assure you that you will not find a lower price at any other floor covering retailer in your area. However, if within 30 days of making your purchase, you should happen to find a lower Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® first quality product of the same brand and styles as the flooring you purchased, we will happily refund your money. It’s our Price Protection Guarantee, and it’s simple. Just present your retailer with the competitor’s advertisement or written estimate for the same floor, and you take home the difference in price! Price Protection applies to materials only.

(See General Terms and Conditions for Hardwood Warranties on pages 19-20 for other conditions that apply.)

Limited Installation Warranty­­

Your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer guarantees the quality of workmanship to be professional and in keeping with the standards set by the wood industry. Should further service be required attributable to the original installation of your hardwood floor, your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer will return and provide that service at no cost to you for the life of the floor. "Life of Floor" means the length of the Limited Wear Warranty specified by the warranty level corresponding to the hardwood floor you purchased. See the Exclusive Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® Five-Star Hardwood Warranties on page 14 for further details.

This Limited Installation Warranty applies only to the original purchaser and installation site and is not transferable. Wood is a natural product; variations in its grain pattern, color, and/or texture are normal and are not considered to be installation-related deficiencies. Your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer does not warrant the product against variations in grain or texture.

Hardwood flooring, being a natural product, will continue to expand and contract through heating and non-heating seasons. Properly installed hardwood floors may consequently experience some separation between the boards at different times during the year. If such separations occur, it is not considered a product or installation defect and is not covered by this warranty.

(See General Terms and Conditions for Hardwood Warranties on pages 19-20 for other conditions that apply.)

Limited Wear Warranty

When used under normal residential traffic conditions* with proper care and maintenance, your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer warrants to the original buyer, that the finish of your hardwood floor will not wear-through during the period specified by the warranty level of the product purchased (see page 14 for details of warranty terms) when properly installed according to the manufacturer’s installation instruction procedures. Wear-through is defined as complete loss of the wear layer. The wear layer is defined as the protective coating that is factory applied to the surface of the wood flooring. Gloss reduction is not considered wear and is not covered by this warranty (see page 18 for details on Limited Finish Warranty terms.).

Should you feel that your wood floor is not wearing properly, contact your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer. If the finish of your wood floor wears through during the warranty period, your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer will repair or replace the affected area. This Limited Wear Warranty applies only to the original purchaser and installation site and is not transferable.

Normal exposure to sunlight will bring about changes in shading of any hardwood floor as the floor ages. Area rugs should be moved occasionally because they block sunlight and may give the appearance of discoloring under the rug. This is not considered to be a product defect and is not covered by this warranty.

(See General Terms and Conditions on pages below for other conditions that apply.)

Limited Manufacturing Warranty

When used under normal residential traffic conditions* with proper care and maintenance, your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer warrants to the original buyer that your hardwood floor will be free from manufacturing defects; including milling, assembly, dimension, and grading during the period specified by the warranty level of the product purchased (see page 14 for details of warranty terms) when properly installed according to the manufacturer’s installation instruction procedures.

(See General Terms and Conditions on pages below for other conditions that apply.)

Limited Finish Warranty

When used under normal residential traffic conditions* with proper care and maintenance, your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer warrants to the original buyer, that your hardwood floor will not experience lack of finish adhesion or finish peel off of its face surface wear layer during the period specified by the warranty level of the product purchased (see page 14 for details of warranty terms) when properly installed according to the manufacturer’s installation instruction procedures.

(See General Terms and Conditions on pages below for other conditions that apply.)

Structural Integrity Warranty

When used under normal residential traffic conditions* with proper care and maintenance, your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer warrants to the original buyer that the plies of your engineered hardwood floor will not separate during the period specified by the warranty level of the product purchased (see page 14 for details of warranty terms) when properly installed according to the manufacturer’s installation instruction procedures.

(See General Terms and Conditions on pages below for other conditions that apply.)

General Terms and Conditions for Hardwood Warranties

In addition to the requirements specified for each respective limited warranty, the following general terms and conditions apply to each of the limited warranties unless otherwise specified.

These limited warranties apply only to hardwood installed in owner-occupied residential spaces where no commercial activity takes place. Some styles are approved for commercial use (see label on back of sample for approved styles) and for only those styles specifically designated as approved for commercial use, the manufacturers’ warranties apply.

For purposes of these limited warranties, the terms "commercial activity" and "commercial application" shall mean an activity or application engaged in for business purposes, regardless of where such activity or application takes place, including but not limited to, such activity or application taking place in a store, office, warehouse, plant, facility, or other place of business or residential dwelling.

These limited warranties apply to flooring purchased after August 15, 2013 only to the original purchaser and installation site and are not transferable.

These limited warranties exclude wood flooring that has been put to abnormal use or conditions, or abused in any way. "Abnormal use or conditions" includes, but is not limited to, water damage from plumbing, storm or flood; damage from smoke, fire, uncontrolled humidity, and/or temperatures in the residence; or other casualty events. "Abuse" is any use of the flooring that is unreasonable considering the normal and expected uses of a hardwood floor in a residence.

These limited warranties do not cover indentations, scratches, stains, or damage caused by negligence, moisture, erosion, pebbles, sand, or other abrasives, pets, spiked-heel shoes, color variations, naturally occurring wood characteristics, insufficient furniture protection, or improper alterations of the original manufactured product. They also do not apply to damages from exposure to extreme heat, dryness, or water saturation in any form including wet mopping, steam cleaning, insects, erosion, pebbles, sand, other abrasives, or stains as a result of chemical or industrial products, other than recommended cleaning products. Minor separations between boards do occur and are not covered by a warranty.

Normal characteristics are not construed as defects. These warranties do not cover natural color variations of the normal differences between color samples or photographs and colors of installed floors. Reasonable selectivity is required to eliminate objectionable naturally occurring blemishes.

Any product deformity that is not measurable or that is visible only in certain light or from a certain angle is not considered a defect and is therefore not covered by the warranty. Defects are evaluated by their visibility from reasonable vertical distance (standing height) from the floor.

Products determined to have any possible defect by the person doing the installation should be returned to your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer for inspection and possible replacement PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. Flooring America®/Flooring Canada's® sole liability on any claim shall be limited to the repair or replacement of the defective goods for the affected area only which are proven to the manufacturer’s satisfaction to be defective. These warranties expressly exclude consequential or incidental damages.

Proof of purchase is necessary to verify all warranty claims. To qualify for repair or replacement, the original sales receipt or other documentation which demonstrates proof of purchase must be supplied.

These warranties apply only to residential installations performed by a Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer or Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® authorized independent installer. It must also be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation guidelines.

Due to color variations of product and/or samples, Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® is not responsible for the failure of any hardwood flooring product to match (1) flooring products in adjacent space or (2) other wood products such as cabinets, stair railings, trim, and molding. A change in shading of the wood is a natural characteristic and does not constitute any type of product defect.

Flooring America®/Flooring Canada®SHALL UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES BASED UPON THE FOREGOING WARRANTIES, CONTRACTS, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL CLAIM. Some states or provinces do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. The foregoing warranties give you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from state to state or province to province.

If there is a conflict between these general terms and conditions and the limited warranties as specified, the limited warranties as specified shall control.

The terms of the warranty begin on the date of the installation.

Should you feel that your hardwood floor is not performing according to the terms in this warranty, contact your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer. This warranty is conditioned upon your Flooring America®/Flooring Canada® retailer’s receipt of notice in writing of the alleged issue prior to expiration of the limited warranty period and evidence that the floor was properly installed and not subject to any of the conditions herein defined to void the conditions of the warranty. These warranties apply on the condition that installation and regular and preventive maintenance have been carried out as recommended in this guide.